Dio – 'Killing the Dragon'
                                                                                    Released on Spitfire Records in 2002

THE BAND:
Ronnie James Dio –vocals
Jimmy Bain –bass and keyboards
Doug Aldridge –guitar
Simon Wright –drums
Scott Warren –keyboards on “Before the fall”

 TRACK FRAGMENTS:
1.) “Killing the Dragon” –This track opens with a classic Dio intro leading into a huge guitar riff.  From the opening vocal arrangement you can hear Dio has pulled way back to his early day sound.  Right before the chorus Doug throws in a real cool lead riff.  The chorus has a real huge hook like most Dio songs.  Doug’s guitar solo for this track was very schooled in nature.
2.) “Along Comes a Spider” –The intro to this track has a very “Sacred Heart” feel to it.  The main guitar riff is a very simple picking pattern.  The song like most Ronnie songs is very well structured.  Doug plays a very intense solo that really shows his talent.  Because of the musical hooks within the arrangement this would make for a great live song.
3.) “Scream” –This track opens with a real heavy almost “Holy Diver” sounding intro.  When the vocals kick in the band take a back seat to Ronnie’s powerful vocals.  The track like early Dio songs has a real heavy bass line. At any moment you can through the opening bar of the vocal line, you can almost hear Dio singing: ‘In the land of milk and honey’.  Hell it’s better if your going to rip anyone off it were yourself.  The solo is very laid back compared to the power chords used.   Simon rips off a couple Vinnie Appice sounding drum fills.
4.) “Better in the Dark” –This track opens with a huge Dio style guitar pattern and drum rhythm.  From the opening vocal arrangement Dio shows the listener, he still has it.  The song it self is very up-tempo and in your face sounding.  The songs guitar track has a real stinking groove that rocks.   During the breakdown section Bain has a real huge bass line that crushes your chest.
5.) “Rock and Roll” –This track opens with a very simple electric guitar picking pattern, along with a haughting Dio vocal.  The song kicks in with a very heavy guitar rhythm. The song is really broken down when the vocals kick in.  During the chorus the backing vocals are huge.  If you a long time Dio fan this musical arrangement will sound very similar.  The band really makes the song interesting by changing patterns and rhythms several times.
6.) “Push” –The first single taken off the CD.  The track opens with stereo spit sound effect.  Through the intro you can really hear the classic Dio sound shining through.  The vocal arrangement is very up-tempo sounding.  You can really hear the vintage Dio hook through the chorus.  This is another great sounding song live. The band really pulls back for the solo.
7.) “Guilty” –This track opens with a huge Simon Wright drum fill.  The guitar intro is very influenced by Jake E. Lee and the work he did on Ozzy’s “Ultimate Sin”.  The verse has a very draggy effect to the vocals.  The chorus has that huge Dio hook that fans have enjoyed for years.  For the second chorus they add two more lines to the vocals, great song writing!!! 
8.) “Throw Away Children” –A Dio CD would not be a Dio CD without a song about the children.  The track opens with a huge Simon rhythm on the toms. It’s on songs like this where Ronnie’s vocals shine.  The guitar pattern is very heavy and dark sounding.  The solo was very laid back compared to the heaviness of the main guitar riffs.
9.) “Before the Fall”-This track opens with a huge up-tempo guitar intro.  Once again Dio really shows his talent vocally.  This track has a Deep Purple style keyboard solo.    There is no guitar solo.
10.) “Cold Feet” - This track opens with a real heavy almost Krokus sounding guitar riff.  From the opening vocal line you can hear the hook. The pre-chorus is very laid back sounding and fits well with the heaviness of the guitar.  The solo was kind of short but very intense sounding.

         As a long standing Dio fan I am glad to see, Dio release a CD with a more vintage sound.  On “Killing the Dragon” Dio brings back the classic “Holy Diver” days.  If you weren’t around in ’83 when “Holy Diver” was released, let me tell you from personal experience, it was one of the greatest CD’s to come out of the ‘Hard Rock Attack’ of 1984.

         After listening to this CD it amazes me how the band can capture the exact sound of the individual musicians.  At times Simon sounds just like Vinnie Appice.  Which to add another note, I have always felt AC/DC never utilized Simons playing ability.  A lot of drummers use to laugh at Simon because of the simple patterns.  So I was very pleased to hear Simon step up to the plate and hit a home run.

         If your into early eighties metal than this is a must have!!!!